Grant O’Kane knows a couple of things about the person or people who broke into the office of his White Rock dance studio early Wednesday morning: they’re opportunists, they’re quick and – perhaps most disturbingly – they’re patient.“The break-in occurred four minutes after we set the alarm,” O’Kane said. “They were waiting in the shadows for us to leave… waited a couple hours.“It’s not a comforting thing to know.”The studio, owned by O’Kane and his wife, Dawn, closed for the day at 10 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 22). As is often the case, Dawn stayed late training some of the Arthur Murray instructors, then locked the doors behind them when they left around midnight.O’Kane got the call from the alarm company a short while later. He arrived back at the studio to find police at the scene and the large office window smashed. Large pieces of glass were dangling guillotine-style in the frame. Thieves – it’s believed there were at least two and that they used a steering-wheel club to break the glass – didn’t even step inside, O’Kane said.“They literally broke the window, reached in and grabbed the items,” he said.About $4,000 worth of electronics was taken, including a big-screen television, video camera and laptop. The smash-and-grab is the second break-in at the studio in its nine years at the site, 15151 Russell Ave. In the first, 5½ years ago, two computers were taken.Items stolen this time were all in plain view through the office window – a lesson O’Kane hopes neighbouring business owners will learn from.O’Kane commended the quick response of police to the alarm, and said additional security measures will be looked at for the studio in light of the incident. Anyone with information on the break-in may contact White Rock RCMP at 778-593-3600.

Peace Arch News